1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to an optical fiber connector, and more particularly to an optical fiber connector having a one-piece housing.
2. Technical Background
Optical fibers are widely used in a variety of applications, including the telecommunications industry in which optical fibers are employed in a number of telephony and data transmission applications. Due, at least in part, to the extremely wide bandwidth and the low noise operation provided by optical fibers, the use of optical fibers and the variety of applications in which optical fibers are used are continuing to increase. For example, optical fibers no longer serve as merely a medium for long distance signal transmission, but are being increasingly routed directly to the home or, in some instances, directly to a desk or other work location.
With the ever increasing and varied use of optical fibers, it is apparent that efficient methods of coupling optical fibers, such as to other optical fibers, to a patch panel in a telephone central office or in an office building or to various remote terminals or pedestals, is required. However, in order to efficiently couple the signals transmitted by the respective optical fibers, an optical fiber connector must not significantly attenuate or alter the transmitted signals. In addition, the optical fiber connector must be relatively rugged and adapted to be connected and disconnected a number of times in order to accommodate changes in the optical fiber transmission path.
In order to prevent degradation in the transmission properties of optical fibers which have been connected through the use of optical fiber connectors, manufacturers typically provide for strain and bend relief of the optical fiber or fibers disposed within the connector. In particular, strain relief may be accomplished by securing a portion of the optical fiber and/or optical cable containing the optical fiber to the connector assembly. One method is by clamping a suitable portion of the connector assembly to the coated optical fiber itself. Another method involves clamping strength members contained within an optical fiber cable assembly to the connector. Either or both approaches may be used.
Because of their reduced footprint, small-form factor connectors, such as so-called LC design connectors, have employed a separate attachment member which is assembled to the connector body to provide the necessary strain relief. An example of a prior art LC connector having a separable attachment member is shown in FIG. 1. When an optical fiber which has been connectorized with an optical fiber connector having a separable attachment member is stressed at an angle other than along the axis of the optical fiber disposed within the connector, the point at which the attachment member is joined to the rest of the connector assembly may be overstressed. If the stress angle is large enough, the high stress level at the attachment member/housing joint may cause the joint to fail and the attachment member to separate from the rest of the connector assembly. The failure of the attachment member may degrade the transmission performance of the optical fiber, or in the worst case, cause the optical fiber to fail altogether. Consequently, what is need is an optical fiber connector wherein the attachment member is an integral part of the connector housing. Such a connector should be constructed so as to maintain as small a form as possible.